Mona and Raju were helping Amma to clean their house.

“Look at all these things…. clothes, utensils, foodgrains,

combs, this bottle of honey, books…..Each of these has a

use,” said Mona. “That is why they are important,” said

Amma. “These are resources…..”. “What is a resource?”

was Raju’s question to Amma. “Anything that can be used

to satisfy a need is a resource”, replied amma. “Look around

you and observe, you will be able to identify many types of

resources. The water you drink when you are thirsty, the

electricity you use in your house, the rickshaw you use to

get home from school, the textbook you use to study are all

resources. Your father has prepared a tasty snack for you.

The fresh vegetables he has used are also a resource”.

Water, electricity, rickshaw, vegetable and textbook

have something in common. They have all been used by

you, so they have utility. Utility or usability is what makes

an object or substance a resource.

“How does something become a resource?” Raju now

wanted to know. Amma told the children that things become

resources only when they have a value. “Its use or utility gives

it a value. All resources have some value.” said Amma.

Value means worth. Some resources have economic

value, some do not. For example, metals may have an

economic value, a beautiful landscape may not. But both

are important and satisfy human needs.

Some resources can become economically valuable

with time. Your grandmother’s home remedies have no

commercial value today. But if they are patented and sold by

a medical firm tomorrow, they could become economically

valuable.

Resources

Glossary

Patent: It means

the exclusive right

over any idea or

invention.

Let’s do

List out five

resources you use

in your home and

five you use in

your classroom.

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2 ResouRces and development

Time and technology are two important factors that

can change substances into resources. Both are related

to the needs of the people. People themselves are the

most important resource. It is their ideas, knowledge,

inventions and discoveries that lead to the creation of

more resources. Each discovery or invention leads to many

others. The discovery of fire led to the practice of cooking

and other processes while the invention of the wheel

ultimately resulted in development of

newer modes of transport. The technology

to create hydroelectricity

has turned energy in fast

flowing water into an

important resource.

Types of ResouRces

Resources are generally classified into

natural, human made and human.

Natural Resources

Resources that are drawn from Nature and used without

much modification are called natural resources. The

air we breathe, the water in our rivers and lakes, the

soils, minerals are all natural resources. Many of these

resources are free gifts of nature and can be used directly.

In some cases tools and technology may be needed to

use a natural resource in the best possible way.

Natural resources can be broadly categorised into

renewable and non-renewable resources.

Renewable resources are those which get renewed

or replenished quickly. Some of these are unlimited

and are not affected by human activities, such as solar

and wind energy. Yet careless use of certain renewable

resources like water, soil and forest can affect their

stock. Water seems to be an unlimited renewable

resource. But shortage and drying up of natural

water sources is a major problem in many parts of the

world today.

Non-renewable resources are those which have a

limited stock. Once the stocks are exhausted it may

take thousands of years to be renewed or replenished.

Since this period is much more than human life spans,

“So I am a

resource too!”

“A very

valuable one!”

Amma’s List

Cotton cloth

Iron ore

Intelligence

Medicinal plants

Medical knowledge

Coal deposits

Agricultural land

Clean environment

Old folk songs

Good weather

Resourcefulness

A good singing voice

Grandmother’s

home remedies

Affection from

friends and family

Beautiful scenery

Activity

Circle those

resources from

Amma’s list that

are regarded

as having no

commercial value.

Glossary

Technology: It is

the application of

latest knowledge

and skill in doing

or making things.

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ResouRces 3

such resources are considered non-renewable. Coal,

petroleum and natural gas are some examples.

The distribution of natural resources depends

upon number of physical factors like terrain, climate

and altitude. The distribution of resources is unequal

because these factors differ so much over the earth.

Human Made Resources

Sometimes, natural substances become resources only

when their original form has been changed. Iron ore

was not a resource until people learnt to extract iron

from it. People use natural resources to make buildings,

bridges, roads, machinery and vehicles, which are

known as human made resources. Technology is also

a human made resource.

“So people like us use natural resources to make human

made resources,” said Mona nodding in understanding.

“Yes,” said Raju.

Human Resources

People can make the best use of nature to create more

resources when they have the knowledge, skill and the

Glossary

Stock of Resource

It is the amount of

resources available

for use.

Let’s do

Think of a few

renewable resources

and mention how

their stock may get

affected by overuse.

“…its all thanks

to the knowledge,

education and

skill… we could find

a solution…

that’s it!

“Crops ruined

due to

drought”.

“Can I find

a solution?”.

Read and Ponder: Humans are interdependent on

each other. Farmers provide food grains for every one.

Scientists suggest various means to combat problems

related to agriculture and improve farm production.

Let’s do

Make a list of

five human made

resources that you

can observe around

you.

Do you know?

Human Resource

refers to the

number (quantity)

and abilities

(mental and

physical) of the

people. Though,

there are differing

views regarding

treatment of

humans as a

resource, one

cannot deny the

fact that it is the

skills of human that

help in transfering

the physical

material into a

valuable resource.

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4 ResouRces and development

technology to do so. That is why human

beings are a special resource. People

are human resources. Education and

health help in making people a valuable

resource. Improving the quality of

people’s skills so that they are able

to create more resources is known as

human resource development.

conseRving ResouRces

Mona had a nightmare. She dreamt that all

the water on the earth had dried up and all the

trees cut down. There was no shade and nothing to

eat or drink. People were suffering and roaming around

desperately looking for food and shade.

She told her mother about the dream. “Amma can this

really happen?” she asked.

“Yes,” Amma replied. “If we are not careful then even

renewable resources can become very scarce and the

non-renewable ones can definitely get exhausted”. “What

can we do about it,” Raju asked. “Lots,” replied Amma.

Using resources carefully and giving them time to get

renewed is called resource conservation. Balancing

the need to use resources and also conserve them for

the future is called sustainable development. There

are many ways of conserving resources. Each person

can contribute by reducing consumption, recycling and

reusing thing. Ultimately it makes a difference because

all our lives are linked.

That evening the children and their friends

made packets and shopping bags out of old

newspapers, discarded clothes and baskets

from bamboo sticks. “We will give a few to every

family we know,” said Mona. “After all it is for

a very good cause,” said Mustafa, “To save our

resources and to keep our earth alive”.

“I am going to be very careful not to waste

paper,” said Jessy. “Many trees are cut down to

make paper,” she explained.

“I will see that electricity is not wasted in

my house,” shouted Mustafa. “Electricity comes

from water and coal.”

Glossary

Sustainable

Development

Carefully utilising

resources so that

besides meeting

the requirements

of the present, also

takes care of future

generations.

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ResouRces 5

“I will make sure that water is not wasted at home,”

said Asha. “Every drop of water is precious”

“Together we can make a difference!” chorused the

children.

These are some of the things Mona, Raju and their

friends did. What about you? How are you going to help

in conserving resources?

The future of our planet and its people is linked with

our ability to maintain and preserve the life support

system that nature provides. Therefore it is our duty to

ensure that :

• all uses of renewable resources are sustainable

• the diversity of life on the earth is conserved

• the damage to natural environmental system is

minimised.

Some Principles of

Sustainable Development

Respect and care for all

forms of life

Improve the quality of

human life

Conserve the earth’s

vitality and diversity

Minimise the depletion

of natural resources

Change personal

attitude and practices

towards the environment

Enable communities

to care for their own

environment.

Exercises

1. Answer the following questions.

(i) Why are resources distributed unequally over the earth?

(ii) What is resource conservation?

(iii) Why are human resources important?

(iv) What is sustainable development?

2. Tick the correct answer.

(i) Which one of the following does NOT make substance a resource?

(a) utility (b) value (c) quantity

(ii) Which one of the following is a human made resource?

(a) medicines to treat cancer

(b) spring water

(iii) Complete the statement.

Non-renewable resources are

(a) those which have limited stock

(b) made by human beings

3. Activity

“Rahiman paani raakhiye,

Bin paani sab soon.

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6 ResouRces and development

Paani gaye na ubere

Moti, manus, choon…”

[Says Rahim, keep water, as without water there is nothing. Without water

pearl, swan and dough cannot exist. ]

These lines were written by the poet Abdur Rahim Khankhana, one of the

nine gems of Akbar’s court. What kind of resource is the poet referring to?

Write in 100 words what would happen if this resource disappeared?

For Fun

1. Pretend that you live in the prehistoric times on a high windy plateau. What

are the uses you and your friends could put the fast winds to? Can you call

the wind a resource?

Now imagine that you are living in the same place in the year 2138. Can

you put the winds to any use? How? Can you explain why the wind is an

important resource now?

2. Pick up a stone, a leaf, a paper straw and a twig. Think of how you can use

these as resources. See the example given below and get creative!

To play stapu toy

As a paper-weight tool

To crush spices tool

To decorate your garden/room decoration piece

To open a bottle tool

In a catapult weapon

You can use a stone… Use/Utility

You can use a leaf…

Use/Utility

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